Which do you prefer - summer or winter?
I have always preferred winter. It might be
because I grew up in a part of Canada that has cold
winters, but the heat and humidity of summer are
just too much for me to
handle. Given what I've just said, you might find
it interesting to know that my favorite part of
winter is the heat.
That's right, the heat in winter. (I'll explain in
a second.)
My house backs onto a large water run-off
area. When the weather is warm and rainy, my family
enjoys eating breakfast while watching ducks takeoff
and land on the water. In the winter, if the
conditions are right, we get a very large area of
frozen water. Today was one of those days and this
afternoon my son and I put on our ice skates,
grabbed our hockey sticks and went out onto this
nature-made skating rink to enjoy a stereotypical
Canadian afternoon of playing hockey. Factoring in
the wind-chill, the temperature was - 21C (- 6F),
but we had a blast playing outside!
When we finally came back into the house, I
experienced my favorite part of winter - namely, how
good the heat feels after you've been playing
outside in the cold! All my life I have savored
that feeling!
When you live in a house that has central heating
that consistently keeps the temperature at a
comfortable level, it doesn't take long before you
take the heat for granted. There's nothing like an
afternoon spent playing in the cold to give you a
new appreciation for heat. The experience always
fills me with gratitude.
That's how the Power of Mortality works. Too
often, we "sleepwalk" though our days, weeks and
months, taking our lives for granted. This week, I
encourage you to spend some time each morning
thinking about your mortality. Let the contrast
between life and death can be a real awakening for
you. There's nothing like acknowledging, accepting
and embracing your mortality to give you a fresh
appreciation for life and fill you with gratitude.
ENJOY NOW!
